Imagine for a moment that prices aren't allowed to rise. Would it be reasonable for anyone to expect workmen to give up their nights and weekends and drive hundreds of miles to Virginia to remove trees from people's houses? Yes, there would be some motivated by charitable instincts, but I'd hate to count on charitable instincts as the major source of help. If, as the Virginia Senate has decreed, prices are not allowed to rise in the wake of a disaster, lest they risk being deemed unconscionable, pray tell me what will produce the incentive for people to travel long distances, work overtime and make other personal sacrifices to provide goods and services to Virginians?

The Virginia Senate has provided a defense for sellers against charges of selling goods at an "unconscionable" price, saying, "Proof that the supplier incurred such additional costs during the time of disaster shall be prima facie evidence that the price increase was not unconscionable." That vision reflects gross economic ignorance on the part of the Senate. Costs alone do not determine price; demand plays a role as well. When there's a disaster, demand is likely to be the major element driving prices up.

Here's my recommendation to the governor and Virginia legislature if they're really interested in doing something about price gouging. Their energies would be better focused on their ever-increasing charges for government services and their subsequent tax gouging of Virginia taxpayers.